Health
Did You Know Taurine Has Various Roles for the Body and the Brain?
I introduce a nutrient serving as a neurotransmitter associated with cellular, immune, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, and mental health.
Purpose of the Article
I wrote numerous articles about valuable nutrients based on my reviews during cognitive science studies and personal experience.
Some discerning readers requested to obtain my thoughts and experience related to taurine as they hear a lot about it in fitness communities. I also briefly introduced it in a previous article.
Thus, I decided to post this article to satisfy their needs, as I have been researching taurine for a long time. I used to supplement it when I was improving my metabolic and mental health years ago. I don’t supplement anymore as my diet is abundant in taurine.
My goal in this article is to introduce this valuable nutrient highlighting its function in the body and brain and its role in our cellular, mitochondrial, immune, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, and mental health.
My Independent Review of Taurine
What is taurine? Most likely, many people heard about taurine. But for those who don’t know it, I will briefly introduce what it is and its role.
Taurine, as a nutrient, is an amino acid. However, it is different from other amino acids serving as a building block for the body’s protein requirements.
In other words, the body does not use taurine for protein synthesis. Therefore, scientists classified taurine as a conditionally essential amino acid. Taurine abundantly exists in the heart, brain, retina, and skeletal muscles.
Even though chemists identified Taurine in the 1800s, we only learned about its importance after the 1980s. Interestingly, taurine was approved as the treatment among heart failure patients in Japan in 1985. Therefore, scientists started reviewing this molecule in detail.
Since the 1990s, I have read many papers about its potential role in metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, mitochondrial diseases, neurological disorders, and even cancers.
In my perspective, the most crucial aspect of taurine is its role as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the brain.
Taurine, like creatine and carnosine, is mainly found in animal products. Plants do not include these valuable molecules. However, our bodies can create them.
I introduced Six Important Nutrients We Can’t Get from Vegetables or Fruits Adequately. Taurine is one of them.
As documented in this paper, “Dietary taurine, creatine, carnosine, anserine and 4-hydroxyproline are beneficial for preventing and treating obesity, cardiovascular dysfunction, and aging-related disorders, as well as inhibiting tumorigenesis, improving skin and bone health, ameliorating neurological abnormalities, and promoting well being in infants, children, and adults.”
This paper informs that “Increasing dietary intake of taurine enhances its concentrations in plasma and tissues, such as skeletal muscle, brain, and heart.”
Taurine levels can be tested via urine, as explained in this paper. An observational study also mentions blood tests. However, the paper seems to be problematic with a warning from the publisher.
As mentioned in this resource, loss of magnesium in urine and vitamin B6 deficiency might lead to low taurine levels. The resource shows optimal results between “52 and 1025 uMol/gCr.”
Low taurine levels show symptoms of anxiousness, hyperactivity, and sleep difficulties. High levels indicate social withdrawal, apathy, and poor concentration.
Why Taurine Matters for Our Health
I introduce the health benefits of taurine under five broad topics.
1 — Cellular and Mitochondrial Health
I see taurine as an essential nutrient for cellular energy as it has crucial functions in our cells. Taurine has several cellular functions, such as balancing electrolytes in cells.
Taurine also regulates the calcium in the cells.
Moreover, as documented in this paper, taurine regulates the physiological function of excitable tissues and mitochondria.
This 2021 paper titled “The Role of Taurine in Mitochondria Health: More Than Just an Antioxidant” reviewed multiple studies highlighting its role in maintaining mitochondria function.
2 — Metabolic Health Benefits of Taurine
Taurine acts in various metabolic pathways, including the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Therefore, it plays a vital role in our metabolism.
From a metabolic health perspective, taurine is associated with digestion and sugar metabolism. More specifically, taurine assists with forming bile salts.
An animal study in 2018 identified promising taurine results for type II diabetes. For example, the study concluded that “Taurine improved glucagon activity, promoted glycemic stability, modified glucose levels, successfully addressed hyperglycemia via advanced glycation end-product control, improved insulin secretion, and had a beneficial effect on insulin resistance.”
The authors of this study on MDPI suggest that “taurine levels may be more important in the development of diabetes; however, it may also have importance for the progression of the disease and the subsequent complications.”
This paper informs that “Taurine has been observed to be effective in treatments against diabetic hepatotoxicity, vascular problems and heart injury in diabetes. Taurine was shown to be effective against oxidative stress.”
Taurine also supports liver health.
As documented in this paper, “taurine administration (500 and 1000 mg/kg, i.p), effectively alleviated liver injury and its consequent events including rise in plasma and brain ammonia and brain edema.”
3 — Cardiovascular Health Benefits of Taurine
This 2020 paper titled “The Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Taurine on Cardiovascular Disease” states that:
“Taurine influences cellular functions, including osmoregulation, antioxidation, ion movement modulation, and conjugation of bile acids. Taurine exerts anti-inflammatory effects that improve diabetes and has shown benefits to the cardiovascular system, possibly by inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system.”
As I mentioned in a previous article about preventing risks of cardiovascular diseases, the primary culprit for heart disease is atherosclerosis.
A paper titled “Taurine and atherosclerosis” informs that “taurine supplementation retards the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Epidemiological studies have also suggested that taurine exerts preventive effects on cardiovascular diseases.”
Results of another study suggest that “two weeks of oral taurine supplementation increases the taurine levels and has anti-atherogenic and anti-inflammatory effects before and following incremental exercise in heart failure patients.”
In addition, another study on Hypertension concluded that “the antihypertensive effect of chronic taurine supplementation shows promise in the treatment of prehypertension through the improvement of vascular function.”
4 — Immune Health Benefits of Taurine
From an immune health angle, it contributes to regulating the immune system. In addition, taurine serves as a potent antioxidant. For example, this paper states:
“There is overwhelming evidence that taurine blocks toxicity caused by oxidative stress, but the mechanism underlying the antioxidant activity remains unclear. One established antioxidant action of taurine is the detoxification of hypochlorous acid.”
As documented by Cleveland Clinic, “hypochlorous acid is created by white blood cells as a defense system against infection, bacteria and general ickiness.”
5 — Neurological and Mental Health Benefits
From a neurological and mental health angle, it supports the central nervous system and protects against neuropathy.
For example, as a therapeutic agent, taurine can antagonize neurotransmitter receptors of GABAA, glycine, and NMDA, as informed in this paper.
Taurine is also considered a valuable nutrient for eye health. This paper in CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics discusses taurine and oxidative stress in retinal health and disease.
“Taurine was shown to be effective against oxidative stress.” as mentioned in this paper. Oxidative stress is the root cause of numerous neurological and mental health conditions.
Do we need to supplement with taurine?
From my reviews and experience, I don’t believe we need to supplement with taurine unless we have a deficiency due to underlying health conditions.
Literature indicates that taurine deficiency is rare but possible due to underlying health conditions. However, the body can produce taurine by oxidating cysteine. Therefore, its deficiency is rare.
Taurine is abundant in animal products, so those who consume meat will get an adequate amount from the diet. However, it does not exist in plants. Thus, it might be a problem for those who consume plant-based products solely.
From my observations in fitness communities, biohackers and bodybuilders supplement with taurine for various reasons documented in the sports nutrition literature.
The benefits of taurine in sports nutrition for exercise are increasing oxygen uptake, reducing fatigue, improving recovery times, and enhancing muscular strength.
This paper titled Taurine in sports and exercise reviewed 19 studies. It identified “mixed findings on the effect of taurine consumption on improving recovery from training bouts and/or mitigating muscle damage.”
However, the paper informs that “Taurine has become a popular supplement among athletes attempting to improve performance.”
Why do energy drinks include taurine in ingredients?
This is a commonly asked question among energy drink consumers. Thus, I thought it would be helpful to add clarity from my experience and observations in fitness communities.
As you might have noticed, taurine is added to energy drinks like Redbull, Rockstar, NOS, Full Throttle, Amp, and Monster.
Some people think that it is a stimulant. Interestingly, it is just the opposite. Taurine is a relaxing nutrient reducing the jittery effects of caffeine on energy drinks.
As Cleveland Clinic’s Journal of Medicine documented, “Taurine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and neuromodulator. It is structurally analogous to gamma-aminobutyric acid, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.”
When I was experiencing sleep deprivation, I used taurine to balance my neurotransmitters an hour before bedtime. Several friends in fitness communities used it too. It worked well for them and me.
Interestingly Medical News Today mentioned that “France, Denmark, and Norway have banned Redbull.” Reuter informed that France ended the 12-year ban in 2008.
However, it was not due to taurine but because of caffeine. Taurine reduces the stimulating effects of caffeine.
Conclusions and Takeaways
Taurine plays a critical role in the body and contributes to our cellular, immune, cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental health.
The body produces this vital amino acid as it is needed for various functions. In addition, we can get this from food and energy drinks.
However, taurine is also used for therapeutic purposes by qualified healthcare professionals. Even though its deficiency is rare, it is possible for some people with underlying health conditions.
The deficiency symptoms manifest as anxiousness, hyperactivity, and sleep difficulties. The deficiency causes are believed to be due to loss of magnesium in urine and lack of vitamin B6.
Therefore, it is essential to obtain support from qualified healthcare professionals to check deficiencies while having symptoms and issues with magnesium or vitamin B6.
Taurine is available in many energy drinks. It is also possible to purchase it from health shops without a prescription in many countries.
I haven’t seen any restrictions on taurine supplements so far. I also hadn’t experienced any side effects when I was using it.
The Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology documented in 2008 that three grams of the taurine supplement daily were found safe for healthy individuals.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
I also wrote about other valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:
Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients to improve metabolism and mental health.
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